Track-switch mechanism



A, WEBER; TRACK SWITCH MECHANISM. APPLIICIATION FILED APR. 11.1912.

' PBJJQIlfABd D60. 2, 1919.

2 sums-mun I J. A. WEBER.

TRACK SWITCH MECHANISM- APPLICATION FILED APR- n, 1911.

Patented Dec. 2,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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7 JOHN A. WEBER, or TOLEDO, OHIO.

TRACK-SWITCH MECHANISM.

I ascetic.

To all whom it may concern: n

1 Be it known that I, JOHN A. WEBER, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State vide a means carried in close proximity to the front wheel of the-truck of the car for operating the track switch. It also has for its object to provide a track switch engaging means which will readily enter the truck channel and will automatically turn so as to-engage the nose ofthetrack. switch. It also has for its object to provide means for operating the switches on either-side ofthe track and to throw the switches in either direction. r

The invention'may be contained in many forms of constructions usable .for operating track switches, all of which come within the purview of my claims hereinafterappended. To show the practicability of my invention I have selected one of'such-eom structions as an example and shall describe it hereinafter. Theconstruction selected is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

.Figure 1 of thedrawings illustrates a side view of the track switch operating mechanism showing the partof the mechanism which is used in connection with the left hand side of the track and also showing a section of parts connecting the parts which operate the switches on both sides of the track. .Fig. 2 is a top view of the manual means for operating the switch throwing mechanism. Fig. 3 is a sectional view ofth-e manual means illustrated in Fig. 2 taken.

on the line 3-3 indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4

is afront view of a foot operating mechanism which; coacts with the manual means illustrated inFigQ for operating the track switch me hanism. 5 is a side view. of the part illustrated in Fig. 4:. Fig.6 is a top. view of the part illustrated in Figsz .and5. Figs. '7, .8 and .9 illustrate machine elements which-are shown -.assembled in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 11,

means for throwing the track PatentedDecfi, 1919.

1917. .Serial No. 161,325.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Fig. 10illustratesa top view of the switch operating mechanism. Fig.11 illustratesatop view:of a shifting switch operating mechanism into position to throw the switch point to the right ontothe left.v Fig. 12 illustrates a sectional view of the part illustrated in Fig. 11 taken on the 'line 12-42 indicated in Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is an end view of the part illustrated in Fig. 11. Fig. 14 illustrates a means for operating the part illustrated in Figs. '11, .12 and 13.

l is the fraihe of the car which is illustrated in dotted linesin Fig. -1. 2 'is the truck, and? 3 are wheels, whichare also illustrated in dotted lines. 4 is the track having the switch 5. The mechanism is shown in position for throwing theswitch of the left-hand track to the right to-permit the car to proceed on the main line instead of turning onto a branch.

The switches 5 are operated by disks 6 and 7 ,whichare pivoted on the ends of arms 8 and 9. The disksfiand 7 are located prefthe axles of the wheels 8. The-a-mnsfiand 9 are connected to channeled members lQ-and 13 by links 14am caps 20. Each link 14 connects one end of a channeled member to one end of an arm. Each channeled member is provided with a slot 15 through which a rodl6 extends into the channeled member. The channeled members are preferably made cylindrical andare provided with plugs 17 which close the ends of the members. When made cylindrical the rods 16 are connected to balls 18 which loosely fit the interior of the members and may he slid along the members. The members are pivoted to the frame 10 by means of the pin 19, so that when the ball '18 is shifted to one end of a member and the-rod 16 connected to the ball is moved, it will causemovement'ofthe arm 8 or 9 to which it may be connectedby the link 14 in one direction andcause the oppositemovement of the arm when the rod 116 is moved in the same direction and the'balllS is shifted to the opposite end ofthe member. By thismeans-thedisk 6 or? may be shifted toangular positionrelativeto the tracks by :forward..movements-of therodslfi and so as to throw the switches of either rail or either side of the track to the right or to the left, according to the position of the balls 18 within the members 12 and 13. This is done after the disks 6 and 7 are lowered into the channels of the track.

' The rods 16, which are connected to the balls 18 and operate toplace the disks 6 and 7 in their different angular positions, extend through fingers 21, forming parts of a bell crank lever 22, which are pivoted to the frames 10 and 11. A compression spring 23 is located intermediate the fingers 21 and collars 24. Limiting collars are also keyed or secured to the rod 16 to revent the compression springs 23 from orcing the rods out of the fingers 21.

when the bell crank levers 22 are turned for The springs 23,

ward, operate to yieldingly push therod l6 forward and to hold the disks in their angular positions to which they are turned by the shifting of the rods 16 and the balls 18, also to cause the shifting of the disks from position in the planes of the flanges of the wheels to either one of their angular positions relative to the rails when the rods 16.are shifted so that the balls 18 are located in the ends of the members 12 and 13. The bell crank levers 22 are also connected by springs 26 to brackets 27 which are secured to the frame 1. The springs 26 yieldingly prevent rotation of the bell crank levers 22. They also "yieldingly preventand cause the return of links and levers connected directly or indirectly to the bell crank levers 22. The

' levers 22 are provided with stops 58 to limit the movements of the levers 22. 1 I

The bell crank levers 22 are connected by links-28 to bell crank levers 29 which are pivotally "supported in brackets 27.- The bell crank levers 29 are connected by rods 30 to bell crank levers 31 and 32 which are, supported on shafts 33. The shafts 33 are supported in brackets 34 which are secured to the frame 1 of the car. When one'o'r the other of the bell crank levers 31 or 32 is rotated on the shaft 33 one or the other of the bell crank levers 29 is rotated, which pulls on the short arm of the bell crank lever 22 and causes one of the frames 10. or 11 to rotate about the axle of the wheel on which the frame is supported, inasmuch as the spring 26 operating upon the long arm of the bell "crank'lever 22 resists rotation of the bell crank lever 22 of the frame 10 or 11 to which it may be connectedu and thus the frame 10 or11-is yieldingly turned downward until the disk in which it is connected is placed in thechannel of the track;

Either of the frames 10 or 11 mayzbe rotated about the axle by means of a pedal rod 35, which is connected by slot and pin to a lever '36, which is also pivoted on the shaft 33. A spring 37 is connected to the lever 36 and to the funnel of the car-to yieldingly resist the movement ofthe pedal and cause the return of the lever. 36 against the cross rod 59. Arms 38 are also pivotally supported on the shaft 33 and may be slid along the shaft by means of the rod 39having pins 40 which extendfinto chan outer ends with pins 42 which are secured in the arms 38 and extend into thenbell crank levers '31 and 32; 'When the rod 39 is shifted,-one ofthe pins42 is'pushed through either-the bell crank lever 31 or the bell crank lever 32 and so as toextend a short distance to the opposite side of the otherof the ends of the pins and cause rotation of the bell cranklevers 31 or 32 and one of the arms 38. The bell crank levers 'nels 41. The arms 38 are provided at their 29 being connected to one or the'fother of p the bell cranklevers 31 or 32,- the bell crank lever'29 which is connected to the bellcrank is lever 31 or 32 will alsobe'rotated about-its pivot pin and cause one or the other of the frames 10 or 11 to be carried down so as to pla ce'one of the disksin the channel of the track. a V

The rod 39 is connected to an arm 60 by a pin and'slot for shifting the rod39 to shift the pins 42 in position of engagement with the semi-bosses or lips 43 to cause one or the other of the disksto enter. achannel of the rail located beneath the disk. The arm 60'is connected toa sleeve 61 which extends through the floor of the car to a position in front of-the 'motorman; "lt ex tends to a bracket 62 above which isloc'ated an arm 63 which is pivotally COlHlBClLQCttO the sleeve 61; The bracket 62 ismade in the form of a sector and is provided with a notched flange 64. The arm 63 may be r it is turned. When thearm63 is turned to the left the arm 60 {will also be turned to the left, which will connect the bell crank lever 32 with. the leverr36 sothat when the foot pedal is pushed down "a lip 43 of the turned or slipped intothenotches and thus may be slipped intolthe position to which 5 the frame 10, that is, the frame of the left side of the car, through the bell crank lever 22 and cause the frame 10 to carry the disk 6 into the channel of therailQ WVhen the arm 63 .is turned to the right the rod 39 will shift the arms 38 so as to place the pin 42 which extends through the bell crank lever 31-. into positionof engagement with one of mange 10 *the bosses 43, so 'thatwhen the pedal is pushed down 1 the bell "crank "lever 31 will a cause *the bell crank I lever 29; which is connected to the 'framell through a bell crank lever "22 to be operated. When *thearm 63 is at an intermediate position neither of the pins 42 *will "be in position of engagement with the semi-bosses or lips-e13.

"The normalpositions of the rod 16 being ina linefrom the"centers of the channel members 12 and 13 and the ends" of the fingers 21, thebell cranklevers 22,though slightly rotated, will through the action of the sp'ring2'8 on 1 the rod 16 operateto push operating on the'long arm of thebell crank lever to resist rotation of the belhcrank I lever,- coepe'rates with the link 28 connected with one of the bell crank le'vers29 to force the frame anddiskdown sothatthedisk will bepl'a'ce d in the. channel of thetrack. The rod 16 beingjplaced in its normal position, that is, in line with the pivot pin 19' and the end of the finger 21, the disk will be carried down in the plane of the flange of the wheel and immediately in front of the flange of the wheel. The disk is now in position to be turned angularly so as to engage the nose of the switch, which is done by shifting the rod 16 to one or the other of the ends of the members 12 or 13 to which it may be connected by the ball 18.

The rods 16 are connected together by a slender flexible rod 45, to which the rods 16 are pivotally connected. A cross bar 46 is located in parallel relation and beside the rod 15. The rod 46 is pivotally and loosely connected to the frames 10 and 11. Pulley wheels 47 are connected to the cross bar 46. Cables 48 are connected to the cross bar 45 and pass over the pulleys 47. The cables 18 pass over pulleys 19 which are secured to a bracket 50. The bracket 50 is attached to the frame 1 of the car. The cables 48 also pass over the pulleys 51 which are attached to a weight 52. They also pass over pulleys 53 which are attached to the bracket 50. The cables are connected to the ends of a lever 54 which is connected by means of a rod 55 to the lever 56. The lever arm 56 is pivotally connected to the rod 55 and is located above a bracket 65 which is also provided with a notched flange 66. The arm 56 may be placed in the notches of the flange 66 to hold the arm 56 into the position that it may be placed and prevent rotation of the rod 55. When the arm 56 is rotated to the left the rods 45 will be shifted to the left to shift the rod 16 to the left and so that under the action ofthe springs 23 one or the other of the disks will be turned. The disk is turned after the frame to which it is connected has been carried down so as to place the disk in the channel. 'In moving the frame down a short rotation of the the frame lO' or 11' down andth'e spring 26 bell crank lever 22- compresses the spring23 so that when the rod16 is released from its position of 'alinement between the center of amember 12 or l3'the member to which the rod is connected will be rotated about the pin 19 and cause the disk 6 to take its angular position relative to the track. The disk being rotatably supported in the pivoted arm 8 or 9, and being slipped along sidewise will engage the nose of the switch and force it laterally. The disk'6 being sharply beveled on both sides, that is, the disks being provided with wedge-shaped edges, they tend to cling to the track and retain themselves in the channel of the track as their beveled edges tend to prevent their-being lifted out of the channel of the track. The disks thus operate to engage the noses of the switch which arelocated in the broadened portion er the'channels of the rails AS13116 car passes along the switches are thrown asmaybedesired by the motorman. l/Vhen the arms 56 and 63 are turned to the left the car will turn off to the left on the branch track. When the arms 56 and 63 are turned to the right the car will turn ofi to the right on the branch track. When, however, the arm 56 is turned to the right and the arm 63 is turned to the left, the left disk will be placed in the channel of the left rail and the switch will be thrown to the left to prevent the car from turning on the left branch and permitting it to move forward on the main line. When, however, the arm 56 is turned to the left and the arm 63 is turned to the right the switch on the right side of the car will be so placed by the disk that the car will be prevented from turning to the right and will be permitted to move forward on the main line.

When the car turns on a branch the trucks rotate short angular distances relative to the car frame or body. The relative movements are allowed for in the track switch operating mechanism by the weight 52 having pulleys 51 over which the connectingcords or, wires 18 pass, and the levers 22 which are yieldingly held in position by the springs 26 permit relative movements of the levers 29 without material movement of the frames 11 when the frames are up. When the truck passes onto the curves of the branches, however, the frames 11 may be lifted slightly, but the disks have already performed the operation of throwing the track switch and may be at that time or later lifted to normal position by the motorman.

I claim:

1. In a car track switch operating mechanism, the combination of a pair of disks located substantially in the planes of the flanges of the wheels of the car, means for lowering either of the disks into the channel of the track substantially in the planes of the flange of the Wheel, and means operated by the lowering means for turning the disk to one or the other of two angular positions.

2. In a car track switch operating mechanism, the combination of a pair of disks located substantially in the planes of the flanges of the Wheels of the car, means for "lowering either of thedisks into the channel of the track substantially in the planes of the flange of the Wheel, means operated by the lowering means for turning the disk to one or the other of two angular positions,

and a manual means for controlling the nector members slidable in the channel members for causing thechannel members and the pivoted arms to rotate in one direction or the other, and meansfor moving one or. the other of the saidrodsv 4. In a car track switch operating mechanism, the combination of pivoted dlsks sup ported on pivoted arms, pivoted channel members connected to the pivoted arms, rods havmg connector members, the connector members slidable in the channel members for causmg the channel members and the pivoted arms to rotate intone direct1on or the other, levers, sprlngs operatmg intermediate the levers and rods, plvoted frames for supportingthe said arms, chan- H nel members and levers, and means operating on the levers for causing rotation of a frame, the channel, member and arm supported thereby.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto ,7

signed my name to this specification.

' JOHN A-"WEBER. 

